ExpAfrica: Changes to the paddle and news

With the water level in the Tugela dropping as fast as I type, there has been a change to this long paddle leg for all teams behind Merrell Denmark. Teams are being halted at CP14 (Tugela Rapids) and moved ahead to the transition at Spionkop Dam so that they can continue with the cycle leg.

Teams coming in last night were speaking of five to seven kilometres of rapids, not just the 1.5km stretch of the Tugela Rapids. And also they were talking of encountering rapids upstream of the Tugela Rapids, where many swam. James Stewart, from PennyPinchers says, “It’s a boney river that one!”.

Trevor Ball, Team Energy, describes it as a fun trip but also “Absolute mayhem! Pinball! So rocky! With four teams trying to follow the front kayak through, thinking they know what they’re doing. You go into the rapid thinking it is ok, and it is not.”

Five days ago the whole river was flat water, with the exception of the Tugela Rapids section – the reason for the dark zone. The water is dropping fast and there’s a distinct difference even within a 24-hour period.

Race director Stephan Muller has deemed the section to be too dangerous to continue to allow teams through. With so many swimming, foot entrapments and other nasties become more likely (it is VERY rocky there) and he’s not willing to put the racers at any more risk.

SXM were just starting to prepare to get on to the water when I passed on the message that they could just enjoy the sun and wait for a ride to the transition. They were not displeased with not having to get back on the water. This is a French team of guys with Russian Irina Safronova as their fourth. She raced here in South Africa last year and is delighted to be back.

Team Rusty arrived in this morning. They spent the night in a pumphouse on the river bank. Warmer than sleeping out. They said the pump was off for a time and then came back on – quite noisy but warmer when on.

Moving from the rapids to the end-of-paddle transition I’ve found teams Energy and Indabushe. Mark ‘Lofty’ Loftus is a superb kayaker and it seems his lines through this section were spot on. Energy’s Ugene Nel says that they just chased Indabushe, making a good 3.5hr time to the transition.

PennyPinchers just in (they swam twice last night and only once today). We’re waiting for Merrell Denmark.

When the teams from CP14 are shuttled through here they can chill in the sun for a bit. They’ll only be allowed to leave transition after Merrell Denmark, who were the last team to leave the CP14 this morning before teams were halted. Interesting, even though they say that this paddle section at night has been their coldest race experience ever, they have also loved the scenery and the river.

Word I have on the teams right-right-right at the back is the following… They’re going to paddle to the Tugela Rapids. They’ll be shuttled to the dam to get their bikes. A CP or two may be removed from their cycle leg to get them through to T4 (midway camp).

I haven’t seen teams like the Irish Beast of Ballyhoura since the afternoon of Day 1. Photographer Bruce Viaene is heading backwards along the route to look for them, and others. For news from the front, keep an eye on SleepMonsters.com. Rob Howard is up there.

I’m not 100% sure what my movements are but once I’m done here I’ll probably head to T4 to photograph the trekking maps so that I can draw in some route options for you to contemplate as you follow team tracks (if their tracks pick up on top).

Following from yesterday’s theme… the dad of a guy in one of the back teams was around this morning so I asked him what the teams back there have been doing. He’s not 100% sure but he said something about the teams getting lost… They say they must have done an extra 100km… were over into Lesotho… came down Icidi (the rocky, do-not-take pass)… I’ll wait to get you the scoop from the horses’ mouths.

Thank you for your comments. I’m on EDGE signal so barely able to do much more than post what I need to get out. I see there are some questions about darkzones. I should have more time and better access later this afternoon so I’ll chat about this some more. Always a contentious issue in AR because of the split in the field that it creates.,

Soren and I have got a good animal count so far. Yesterday we saw loads of giraffe plus zebra, kudu, impala, bontebok (I think), hartebeesbok, wildebeest and maybe eland (from a distance). Leaving here at 2am we saw a jackal and – bonus – an anteater! They’re so much bigger than you expect. Also a couple of owls at night and hares. This morning we added warthog to our list. We’ll head out again with Merrell Denmark on the game route, aiming to photograph the team with animals in the background…